Ruff Sqwad - Flee FM: The Film

SUMMARY

"Flee FM" emerges as a cinematic love letter to the pulsating heart of London's grime subculture—the iconic pirate radio scene. Crafted by grime trailblazers Ruff Sqwad, this short film transcends mere music, plunging audiences into the raw, electric essence of London's underground music movement.

Inspired by legendary stations like Deja Vu, Rinse FM, and Heat FM, "Flee FM" pays homage to the very roots of pirate radio culture, inviting audiences to relive the clandestine broadcasts that were the battlegrounds for unbridled creativity and unfiltered expression. However, this love letter is fraught with the shadows of a dramatic shutdown—when in 2005, the government extinguished the rebellious airwaves, altering the landscape of grime forever.

Directed by the award-winning filmmaker Dumas Haddad, the film resurrects the pirate radio set, resembling the early 2000s, a landscape irrevocably changed by the government's crackdown. Ruff Sqwad, hailed as the Beatles of grime, stages a triumphant return, stepping back into the sonic domain they once pioneered.

"Flee FM" becomes a cinematic saga, not only marking Ruff Sqwad's resurgence in the forefront of grime but also standing as a powerful reminder of the government's dramatic shutdown that silenced the rebellious spirit of London's subversive music scene. In the face of adversity, this film rekindles the passion for the homes and sound breeding grounds that once fuelled the vibrant legacy of pirate radio.

DP: Courtney Bennett